Kolkata pavements would be free of hawkers soon: Bengal Minister
Kolkata, June 28
West Bengal Rural Development and Panchayat Affairs Minister Dilip Ghosh said on Sunday that the pavements and footpaths in the state capital would be freed from illegal hawkers' stalls, much like the action being carried out at various railway stations in the state.
"Be it railway stations or the pavements and footpaths in Kolkata -- these are not places for running a business. This should clearly be understood by those who are running businesses after illegally encroaching such areas and also by those who have allowed or encouraged them to encroach in the past," Ghosh told media persons in the morning.
He also said that the pavements and footpaths should be freed for the pedestrians who pay tax to the government or civic bodies.
"At the same time, these illegal encroachers also block the entrances of shops whose owners also pay taxes. This is totally unfair for the people, both pedestrian and legal show-owners, since both these categories of people pay tax," said Ghosh, also the former national vice-president of the BJP and the former state president of the party in the state.
He also claimed that because of illegal encroachments on the footpaths and pavements, the pedestrians are often forced to walk through the middle of streets and roads, risking their lives. "As it is, the roads in Kolkata are highly congested. Traffic jams are a daily affair. In addition, if pedestrians are forced to walk in the middle of the streets, the risks are aggravated. So, these things will have to be sorted out. It is better if the illegal encroachers blocking the footpaths and pavements move away on their own. Otherwise, the state will act as per law," Ghosh cautioned.
The illegal encroachments of Kolkata's footpaths and pavements have been a long-standing problem since the time of the 34-year Left Front regime. On many occasions, people cannot use the footpaths, and quarrels frequently break out between the pedestrians and illegal encroachers.
Accidents also occur due to congestion on the roads. There have been complaints for decades that the footpaths of several important roads in both North Kolkata and South Kolkata are occupied by hawkers, but the previous government never took cognisance.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally some action! 🎉 The situation near Gariahat is unbearable. But will this actually happen or just be another announcement? We've heard promises before. Also, what about the legal hawkers who have licenses? They shouldn't suffer because of illegal ones.
I agree with the sentiment, but what about the livelihoods of these hawkers? Many are migrants who have no other options. Clear the footpaths by all means, but also provide rehabilitation or designated vending zones. Otherwise, this is just shifting the problem elsewhere.
As a daily commuter on MG Road, I totally support this. Walking on the road is terrifying with all the buses and autos. But I worry that this might be used to target small traders unfairly while big illegal encroachments (like political hoardings) remain untouched. Let's see if the action is genuinely impartial. 🤔
Good initiative but I have limited faith in this government's follow-through. They've been in power for 10+ years and only now talking about this. Feels like political point-scoring ahead of elections. Focus on implementation, not just press conferences.
Remember what happened with the hawker evictions in Delhi? Many ended up on the streets. Kolkata's hawkers are not just vendors — they're part of the city's culture. Yes, clear the paths, but do it with compassion. Provide designated hawking zones, storage spaces, and time-bound vending permits. Arre bhai, thoda plan banao pehle! 🙏